Family

Code 4

Code 6

ITIS

ILLUSTRATION

PHOTOS

CONSERVATION STATUS

The Rose-throated Becard is a medium bird that breeds in southeastern Arizona, southern Texas and the United States, and western Panama. Breeding activity is relatively sporadic in the United States, but is quite regular in populations located in Mexico. Northern populations in the U.S. will migrate to southern regions in winter months. This bird’s preferred habitat is pine-oak and evergreen woodlands. Nests are suspended from tree limbs. Diets generally consist of insects found on vegetation or in flight. Berries and seeds are also popular food for this species. The conservation rating for the Rose-throated Becard is Least Concern.

SUMMARY

Overview

Rose-throated Becard: Small flycatcher with gray upperparts, large head with black cap, pale rose-red throat, and pale gray underparts. Catches insects in flight. Also eats their larvae, fruits and berries. Flight is weak and often of short duration, with rapid shallow wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Rose-throated Becard: This species breeds from southeastern Arizona south along the Pacific Coast of Mexico and also from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas southward along the Gulf Coast. They winter south of U.S.-Mexico border. This species is found in desert riparian forests, open woodlands, and mangroves.

Rose-throated Becard SONGS AND CALLS

Rose-throated Becard TT1

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Song is a collection of chatter and whistles.

Rose-throated Becard ZZ1

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Chattering calls made in flight.

Similar Sounding

Voice Text

"wheeuu-whyeeeuur, wheeuu-whyeeeuur", "theeoou"

INTERESTING FACTS

The Rose-throated Becard makes a large foot-long globular nest, usually suspended from a tree limb. The entrance hole is found on the bottom.

Its genus, Pachyramphus, has traditionally been placed in Cotingidae or Tyrannidae, but evidence strongly suggest it is better placed in Tityridae.

This quiet, unobtrusive bird spends most of its time foraging in tall trees and is therefore difficult to find.

A group of flycatchers has many collective nouns, including an "outfield", "swatting", "zapper", and "zipper" of flycatchers.

RANGE MAP NORTH AMERICA

About this North America Map

FAMILY DESCRIPTION

The PASSERIFORMES (pronounced pas-ser-i-FOR-meez), a large taxonomic order that includes antbirds, cotingas, and flycatchers, is composed of one hundred eighteen families of birds.

FAMILY TAXONOMY

The Tyrannidae (pronounced tie-RAN-uh-dee), or tyrant flycatchers, is a very large, successful family of four hundred and twenty-four species in one hundred genera only found in the Americas.

NORTH AMERICA

In North America, one hundred forty-seven species of tyrant flycatchers in fifty-eight genera have occurred. These include the brilliant Vermillion Flycatcher, the sassy kingbirds, and the bridge-loving phoebes.

KNOWN FOR

Some tyrant flycatchers are known for their bold, aggressive behavior, this family often called the Tyrant Flycatchers for this reason. The Eastern Kingbird in particular, seems to go out of its way to chase much larger birds (such as Turkey Vultures) away from its territory.

PHYSICAL

Small to medium in size, tyrant flycatchers have stocky heads with medium sized beaks, tails that vary in length, and long wings. They also have short legs suited to their arboreal lifestyles.

COLORATION

Aside from the brilliant red and black plumage of the male Vermillion Flycatcher, most tyrant flycatchers are plumaged in dull grays, greens, and browns with whitish or yellowish underparts. A few other exceptions to this color scheme are the frosty plumage of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher highlighted by salmon pink underwings, the orangish coloration of the Say’s Phoebe, and the black and white plumages of the Eastern Kingbird and Black Phoebe.

GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT

Members of the Tyrannidae occur in most types of forested and non-forest habitats in North America except for the tundra. Some species such as the Willow Flycatcher and Black Phoebe are associated with wetland habitats, others like the Olive-sided and Hammond’s Flycatchers need coniferous forests, and other species such as the Cassin’s Kingbird and Say’s Phoebe, occur in grasslands. Related species often replace each other in different habitats or regions such as in the case of the Eastern and Western Wood-Peewees.

MIGRATION

Most tyrant flycatchers are long distance migrants to Central and South America.

HABITS

Tyrant flycatchers do not nest in colonies and mostly forage in pairs or alone although the Eastern Kingbird forms flocks during migration and on its wintering grounds in Amazonia. Most North American flycatchers share a similar foraging strategy that often varies by niche and prey item. This foraging strategy involves watching for insects from a perch, sallying out to catch one with a snap of the beak, and returning to the perch to eat it.

CONSERVATION

Most tyrant flycatcher species have stable populations in North America. The Olive-sided Flycatcher, though, has sharply declined throughout its range possibly due to habitat destruction on its wintering grounds and has been listed as near-threatened.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Alder and Willow Flycatchers are so similar in plumage that visual identification is nearly impossible. These two species were actually considered to be one species, the “Traill’s Flycatcher,” until small differences in their plumages and distinct differences in their vocalizations showed that they were separate species. This was also the case for the Cordilleran and Pacific-slope Flycatchers, and the Eastern and Western Wood-Peewees.